U.S. Pat. No. 3,923,148 describes a conveyor construction for conveying relatively small parts or articles in which the conveyor belt is trained over a pair of spindles or rollers and each spindle is journaled relative to the conveyor frame by bearing assemblies which are located within the ends of the spindle. As the bearing assemblies are located inboard of the side rails of the conveyor, two conveyors can be placed in close side-by-side relation.
There are a number of features which are important in the design of a conveyor. One of the features in the ease and quickness of removal of the belt for maintenance or replacement. In certain types of conveyors utilizing a U-shaped frame, it is necessary to remove the bed plate from the frame in order to replace the belt and this is a time consuming task.
Another desired feature for a conveyor is a precise mechanism for tensioning and tracking the conveyor belt. In many conveyors, the belt tensioning and tracking mechanisms are combined by journaling the ends of the tensioning roll or spindle in slide blocks which are slidable relative to the conveyor frame. By individually adjusting the position of the slide blocks, the belt tension and tracking can be adjusted. However, in mechanisms of this type a tracking adjustment can effect the tensioning, and vice versa, so that trained personnel is required in order to properly adjust the tension and tracking.
A further desirable feature for a conveyor is the ability to attach components, such as sensors, guides, stops, and the like, to the conveyor frame and to be able to position the components at various locations along the length of the conveyor. In certain types of conveyors, as used in the past, components could only be attached at specific locations along the length of the conveyor by utilizing the screws or fasteners which connect the bed plate to the side rails, or by drilling specially located holes.